Last week, I recommended the troubled but darling Gertrude Abercrombie painting “The Visit” at Treadway Gallery’s March 7 auction. It did not sell; which means that it did not garner a bid high enough to reach its reserve price. But this ship has not yet sailed.
Bargain Hunters Take Note
The Abercrombie painting is still for sale among Treadway’s Unsold Lots, for a mere $5000 (the number that was likely its reserve price during the auction). $5000! For a painting that sold just a year and a half ago for nearly $8000! And what’s more, for an Abercrombie! And here’s some gravy to ponder: you can also make an offer on unsold lots, so it is just possible that it might be had for less. Yowza. Again, this is a piece to be snatched up by someone willing to hold onto the investment for a while; I wouldn’t recommend it at all to someone who might need to turn it around again in the next five years.
Also among the unsold lots is another headscratcher: a mother and child painting by Brown County artist Ada Schulz. Shulz was active in early 20th century, known for her impressionist depictions of life in Nashville, Indiana and around Brown County. Particularly prized are her depictions of children, and among those, mother and child. Estimated at a reasonable 15-20k, it failed to sell. It is now for sale on the Unsold Lots list for $15k. Mind you, signed paintings of hers with this subject matter, of this size typically sell for twice that at auction. B-a-r-g-a-i-n!!